The princess may be waiting for something to happen. The queen has a plan! 👑

I’ve been thinking about that lately. As little girls, many of us grew up watching Disney princesses. We loved their beautiful dresses, their castles, and those wonderful happily-ever-after endings. And, of course, there was usually a prince somewhere in the story.

But ladies, we’re over 40 now! We’ve lived some life. We’ve made decisions, cared for families, worked through challenges, and learned a few things along the way. I think we’ve graduated from princesses to queens!

And here’s what I love about that transition. We’re not waiting for someone else to write the next chapter of our lives. We have a say in how that chapter unfolds.

Your Queen Era is that season of life when you begin embracing the wisdom, confidence, and experiences you’ve gained over the years. For women over 40, it isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about appreciating who you’ve become and making intentional choices about how you want to live.

What Can Disney Villains Teach Women Over 40?

Recently, I started thinking about four of Disney’s most memorable villains: Maleficent, Ursula, Cruella de Vil, and the Evil Queen.

Now, before you start wondering where I’m going with this, let me make something clear. 😂 I’m certainly not suggesting we follow their example when it comes to their behavior! We don’t need poisoned apples, stolen puppies, or elaborate revenge schemes.

But when I looked beyond their questionable decisions, I noticed something interesting. These women had presence. They were determined. They knew what they wanted, used their resources, and weren’t afraid to make decisions. They also had something many of us are still learning to embrace: the confidence to be themselves.

And that got me thinking about what we can learn from these characters and apply to our own lives. Aging well isn’t just about taking care of our skin or staying physically healthy. It’s also about growing in confidence, making thoughtful decisions, and living with purpose.

A Queen Knows She Doesn’t Have to Do Everything

Can we talk about this one for a moment? How many times have you said, “Oh, I’ll just do it myself”?

Sometimes it’s easier. Sometimes we think nobody else will do it quite the way we want. And sometimes we’ve simply become accustomed to being the person everybody depends on.

But here’s something worth remembering. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you have to be the one who does it.

Even those Disney villains understood delegation! Ursula had Flotsam and Jetsam (the eels). Cruella had Jasper and Horace. Maleficent had Diablo (her crow), and the Evil Queen had her Huntsman and that very opinionated mirror. They certainly weren’t trying to handle every little detail themselves.

Their management techniques could have used some improvement. 😂 But there’s a good lesson here. As women, especially when we’ve spent years caring for others, we sometimes confuse doing everything with being strong. What if strength also means recognizing when we need help?

Maybe someone else can prepare dinner tonight. Maybe a family member can take responsibility for an errand. Maybe it’s time to stop insisting that everything must be done our way.

Accepting help doesn’t make you less capable. It gives you room to focus on the things that truly need your attention, including yourself. And that’s an important part of self-care that we don’t always talk about.

Confidence After 40: Your Crown Doesn’t Have to Look Like Anyone Else’s

One of my favorite things about these four characters is how different they are. Cruella certainly wasn’t worried about whether her outfit was too dramatic. Maleficent wasn’t asking anyone’s permission to wear those horns. And Ursula? She owned every one of her curves! They each had their own unmistakable style. Nobody was confusing Cruella with Ursula!

Now think about how much time we sometimes spend comparing ourselves to other women. We compare our appearance, our accomplishments, our homes, our bodies, and even the pace at which we’re moving through life.

But why? You’ve spent decades becoming the woman you are. Your experiences, preferences, talents, and personality are uniquely yours. You don’t have to dress like another woman, live like another woman, or measure your success by what another woman has accomplished. And you certainly don’t have to shrink yourself to make somebody else comfortable.

Your crown was never supposed to look exactly like hers. That’s one of the beautiful things about growing older. We have the opportunity to become more comfortable with ourselves instead of constantly trying to fit someone else’s expectations. And if you’re still working on that confidence, that’s okay, too. Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a particular birthday. Sometimes we develop it by taking small steps, trying something new, and learning to trust ourselves a little more.

A Queen Has Standards and Healthy Boundaries

Here’s something else I’ve learned. Having standards isn’t the same as being difficult. You can be kind, generous, loving, and still have expectations about how you want to live your life.

You can decide that your health deserves attention. You can protect time for rest. You can choose which commitments deserve a place on your calendar. And yes, you can say no.

I know that isn’t always easy, especially when people have grown accustomed to you always saying yes. But think about this for a moment. If you’re always available for everybody else, when are you available for yourself?

Boundaries don’t have to be harsh. They can be thoughtful, loving decisions that help you take care of your responsibilities without continually neglecting your own needs.

Maybe your boundary is keeping one evening free each week. Maybe it’s not answering every request immediately. Or maybe it’s finally scheduling that appointment you’ve been putting off. These may seem like small things, but they’re part of taking care of ourselves. And you know how I feel about those small steps!

In fact, if making time for yourself has been a challenge, I created a free 5-Minute Self-Care Guide to help you begin. You don’t need an entire afternoon to show yourself a little love.

Aging Well Means Embracing the Woman You’ve Become

This may be my favorite lesson of all. Our culture spends so much time talking about staying young, looking younger, and turning back the clock. But what if we spent more time appreciating the women we’re becoming?

Now, don’t misunderstand me. I love skincare. I enjoy looking my best, feeling beautiful, and taking care of my appearance. That’s part of what I teach through Purple Essence By Evelyn. But aging well is about so much more than how we look.

It’s about how we live. It’s about taking care of our bodies, nurturing our minds, making room for joy, building meaningful relationships, and continuing to pursue the things that give our lives purpose. And it’s about recognizing that our value doesn’t decrease with every birthday.

We’ve learned lessons that our younger selves couldn’t possibly have understood. We’ve experienced disappointments, celebrated victories, made mistakes, and discovered strengths we didn’t know we had. Why would we want to erase all of that? I don’t want to go backward. I want to take everything I’ve learned and use it to make this next season of life meaningful.

That’s what my Queen Era means to me. I’m not trying to become the princess again. I’m learning to appreciate the queen I’ve become.

What Does Wearing Your Crown Look Like Today?

You don’t need a castle, a royal wardrobe, or an actual crown to begin living like the queen you are. Sometimes wearing your crown looks surprisingly ordinary.

It’s asking for help instead of exhausting yourself. It’s making a decision you’ve been postponing. It’s wearing something you love without worrying about what everyone else thinks. It’s making time for your health, speaking kindly to yourself, or finally taking that first step toward a dream you’ve kept tucked away. And sometimes it’s simply remembering that you matter, too.

I chose purple for my business because purple represents royalty. I’ve always wanted women to look, feel, and be royal. Not because of what they own or how they look, but because of how they value and care for themselves. And that message becomes even more meaningful as we grow older.

You don’t have to have everything figured out. You don’t have to be confident every moment of every day. And you certainly don’t have to accomplish everything on your own. Just keep taking those small steps that help you age well with confidence.

Wear your crown, and wear it well.

About Evelyn

Hi, I’m Evelyn!

For more than 26 years, I’ve been helping women over 40 care for their skin with confidence. Through Purple Essence By Evelyn, I share practical skincare education, healthy wellness habits, and intentional self-care to help women age well with grace, confidence, and purpose.

Whether you’re looking for skincare and wellness tips, product recommendations, or simple ways to prioritize yourself, I’m here to help you build a routine that’s effective, enjoyable, and easy to maintain.

Before You Go…

🎁 I’d love to send you my free Self-Care Routine Guide!

When you subscribe, you’ll also receive weekly skincare tips, simple wellness habits, and gentle encouragement to help you age well with confidence. From time to time, I’ll share special offers and invitations to upcoming events, too.